For The Greater Good
by Seal1
Summary: This is a response to The Last Pendragons Lord Potter's Lament challenge.  Harry unknowingly sets a series of events in motion during his trial in the OOTP.  Will eventually be Harry/Daphne.  Severus Snape will be a mentor.
1. Chapter 1

**For The Greater Good**

**by Seal1 **

Disclaimer: All characters were conceived and copywrited by JK Rowling. I'm just enjoying playing in her park!

Summary: This is my answer to a challenge by The Last of the Pendragons on . The guidelines included Harry voting for acquittal during his trial in OOTP, he stumbles unknowingly into a protocol for reclaiming a family seat on the Wizengamot, has several required lines, and a Harry/Daphne, Harry/ Susan or Harry/Hannah pairing. 

Warnings: Some mention of child abuse, mental and physical abuse of adults. Some violence in later chapters.

Rating: T

Characters: Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Weasley Family, Hermione Granger.

Categories: Teacher/Mentor

Beta: Burt, thanks for the hard work editing my misspellings and jumps of logic, any errors that remain are solely mine and hopefully do not reflect on Burt!

Author Note: I also post as "fairylights" on Potionsandsnitches, once I get a bit further into the story, I'll start posting it there as well. I have the whole story outlined, but updates are likely to be irregular for awhile. Harry is going to eventually show up, just not in this chapter, the groundwork has to be laid before he can appear. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1 – Unexpected Happenings

Severus Snape glared at the secretary as she lifted a file and entered the office of the solicitor. There were many other things he'd rather be doing with his time than sitting in Amadeus Figgleworth's waiting room on this warm July day, especially since he hadn't the foggiest notion what the famed solicitor wanted to see him about. At least his luck was somewhat in, he'd just moved back to his house when the owl had caught up with him, which meant that no one from Hogwarts was aware of his visit to Figgleworth, Bentknapp and DeForet.

Severus watched as the secretary, Miss Brownwell, Hufflepuff, class of 1989, left the door open behind her and approached him.

"Mr. Figgleworth is ready for you now, sir," she said with a competent air, ignoring his frown. "Follow me please."

He stood and followed the secretary, stopping in the doorway for a minute to inspect the room. It appeared to be a fairly standard room for a solicitor; several comfortable chairs done in green leather, nice Aubusson carpet on the floor, burgundy velvet drapes framed the window. Perhaps a few more book cases than he'd seen in his previous visits to solicitor's offices, but then again, this group was reputed to be one of the premier groups in Britain. A well dressed, grey haired wizard stood patiently behind the large, polished wood desk, watching with amusement as his domain was inspected.

"Severus Snape," he said as he stepped around the corner of the desk to approach the Potions Master, "you have the look of your grandmother Lucretia."

Severus raised his eyebrow in surprise. "You knew her?"

"Oh my yes, young man, she was quite a vibrant personality in her day. Please, sit down Master Snape. May I offer you some refreshments while we discuss business?"

"Iced coffee if you have some, if not, then tea will be sufficient," he said as he settled himself in one of the comfortable chairs in front of the desk.

"Of course," the solicitor said as he wrote a quick message on a pad, folded it, and sent it on its way out the door with a quick flick of his wand.

Amadeus Figgleworth had been involved in representing the elite families of the wizarding world for close to sixty years. In that amount of time you become good at reading people, to his surprise Severus Snape was not an easy read he thought as he settled back into the padded office chair. The young man in front of him did indeed have some of the facial features of his dear friend Lucretia Manousakis, but there was a heaviness, a weariness, perhaps even a hopelessness that he would never have expected to see in one of Lucretia's descendents. Even in the worst times that dear woman had been an effervescent and uplifting presence to all she claimed as friend. Perhaps he could indulge himself in some careful prying?

"If you'll forgive me, I know very little about you other than you are a Master of Potions and that you teach at Hogwarts. What else can you tell me about yourself?" the old man asked.

"What else is there to know?" Severus asked in a guarded manner, not quite sure why the man was interested in his private affairs. "Most of my year is spent trying to impart a little knowledge to a bunch of inattentive, grubby miscreants who would much rather be waving their wands than learning the subtle art of potions. It leaves little time for other pursuits."

"Surely there must be something you like to do for fun, a hobby or two?" Figgleworth watched as the younger man appeared to be debating what to say. "I myself indulge in the muggle game of golf when I get a chance. It's quite refreshing to take out my aggressions on an innocent ball."

"I used to enjoy an occasional game of chess, but it's been difficult lately to find either the time or someone to provide an adequate challenge. I quite enjoy a good brandy on occasion as well, but considering the expense of good brandy, that is a treat that I enjoy very infrequently." He felt he'd done rather well, after all he could hardly tell the man that his free time was mostly occupied in either spying for Dumbledore, reporting to the headmaster, or brewing for the madman he called 'master'.

The door opened before Amadeus could ask another question. He had noted that the Potions Master appeared to be dancing around his question somewhat, which piqued his curiosity. The young man was hiding something. Interesting. "Ah, thank you my dear, you may put the tray over there," he said, pointing toward the sideboard, "we'll serve ourselves."

"Yes sir," the secretary said as she carefully settled the tray loaded with tea, coffee and biscuits where indicated. She gave the tray one more glance to make sure that everything was in place and then left the office, closing the door softly behind her.

Amadeus rose and approached the sideboard, thinking carefully about where he wanted to direct the conversation. "Would you like cream or sugar with your coffee," he asked as he lifted the lid on the ice container and placed ice in a tall, thin glass.

"Neither thank you," Severus replied.

"Biscuit?" the solicitor queried, pointing a thin finger toward the biscuit plate.

"No, thank you."

He handed Severus his coffee and went back to the tray to make his tea and serve himself a biscuit or two. Perhaps it was time to get to the matter, he mused, seating himself behind his desk. It was obvious, upon reflection, that young master Snape was not inclined to trust him on first meeting; trust would have to be earned over a period of time. Hopefully not too long a period of time. "I'm sure you are wondering why we contacted you."

"The thought had crossed my mind, yes."

He shuffled a few papers on his desk, looking for one in particular. "How close are you to the Prince side of your family?"

"Not at all," Severus said glaring at his glass.

Obviously there was a story there and just as obviously Severus was unlikely to unburden himself at this time. "Let me back up just a little, then, there may be some information that you are unaware of."

Snape nodded, fixing his onyx eyes on the solicitor. What could his mother's family possibly have to do with him?

"I was honored to know your grandmother, Lucretia Manousakis, when she arrived in Britain as the affianced of Soren Prince. She was a wonderful woman, full of love and laughter and light. Soren was her opposite in many things, very serious, hardly ever laughed, but he was besotted with his wife. The two were a surprisingly good mach," he said eyes staring into the distance as he reminisced. "In due course they were blessed with three children; Justinus, Giacomo, and Eileen. Your grandmother was happy as a mother, she made sure that each of her children felt loved and important. All was well until your grandfather met with his accident. Stop me if I am telling you what you already know, Master Snape," the solicitor said.

"While I am familiar with some of the family lore, my mother rarely had the inclination to tell me much. Any information you can give me would be appreciated," Severus said as he stared contemplatively at the man across the desk from him.

"Very well," Amadeus said slowly, considering where to go next, and wondering why Eileen had not imparted the family traditions to her son. This might be harder than he expected. "Perhaps it would be better if you told me what you know so that I may fill in the gaps?"

Severus steepled his hands under his chin and thought back to his childhood and the few times his mother had told him stories. "I believe, from what she said, that my mother's family was well to do and lived in a nice house on a bit of land. Her father, Soren, was a businessman of some sort and died when she was at Hogwarts. Perhaps she was 13?" He looked questioningly at the solicitor, who nodded. "Ah, she finished Hogwarts and spent the summer after her last year at school working in an apothecary shop as an assistant with a view toward becoming an apprentice. She met my father in the park, they hit it off, and two weeks later she was engaged to marry him. When she took my father home, her brothers told her to leave him or they would cut her off without a knut. She chose my father and had nothing to do with the family again." He took a sip of his iced coffee and regarded the other man who was looking perturbed.

"Well that is certainly the bare essentials of the matter, if you would allow me the liberty, I'd like to flesh things out for you a bit before we get to the reason for my asking for this meeting." He waited for Severus to nod in acquiescence before he continued his tale.

"Justinus was 11 years older than your mother and Giacomo was 10 years older. Eileen was a delightful surprise to both of her parents. Both boys had finished Hogwarts before their father's death and were settled in their own careers. They were both very protective of their much younger sister, and that grew worse when Soren died. You have to understand, at that time our culture expected young ladies of a certain social status to be guided into marriage by the males in their families, archaic, I know," he said holding a hand up as Severus made a move to interrupt, "but the wizarding world has always been behind the muggle world when it comes to social change. In any case, Eileen had inherited both her mother's fiery spirit and her father's stubborn will, and she was not inclined to allow her brothers to, how did she put it? Ah yes, 'pawn her off on a weak chinned ignoramus with more breeding than brains." He watched as Severus' eyebrow shot up and a small grin creased his mouth. "Quite. Her brothers did not find her opinion edifying, but listening to the counsel of Lucretia, they let her have her head for a summer and planned to begin trotting eligible young men before her in the Fall. Care for a refill?" he asked, pointing toward Severus' empty glass.

Severus held it out to the man and waited patiently as he refilled both Severus' glass and his tea cup. So far the information the man had disclosed had been interesting, but hardly earth shattering. Certainly nothing to warrant the attention of a solicitor of his reputation.

Figgleworth settled himself in his chair and took a meditative sip of his tea. Where had he left off? Ah, yes. "As you said, Eileen took a position in an apothecary close to her home. She was hoping that she would be able to convince her family to allow her to go on with her studies and become a Potions Mistress before she married and settled down. At that time it was unusual for a married witch to attend school, if a witch desired an advanced degree she obtained it before marriage. Your parents did in fact meet in a park, at an open air concert of a muggle singing group called 'the Beetles', you may be familiar with them?" Severus nodded, a subtle expression of surprise on his face. "Your father, Tobias, was a handsome, charismatic man. He swept Eileen off her feet and they were engaged very quickly. I don't know that it was the two weeks that you were told, but it may have been. In any case, Eileen took her fiancé home to meet her family. I happened run into Lucretia shortly after the occasion, and she unburdened herself to my wife and I concerning the happenings of that meeting. As you may have gathered, it was unpleasant."

Severus nodded and took another sip of his drink.

"From what Lucretia said, your mother proudly introduced Tobias, and everything went well until the family was conversing after dinner and realized that Tobias was a muggle, and not just a muggle, but a poor one with few prospects as well. Lucretia was able to smooth things over until Tobias left, but once the door was closed on him, Justinus and Giacomo towed their sister into the study and began an argument that lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Eileen stormed out when Justinus threatened to cast her out of the family if she followed through with this marriage. Lucretia was heart broken, not only because she knew Eileen was far too stubborn to back down when given an ultimatum like that, but also because she was a very perceptive woman and felt uneasy about Tobias' character. The next time Lucretia saw Eileen was when she came to the house three years later, already married and with you on her hip. She wanted her mother to see her grandson, even though her brothers had followed through with their threat and cut her off from the family. Do you remember your grandmother at all?"

Severus thought back to when he was a child, they were not memories that he chose to visit often. "I believe so. When I was very young I remember going with my mother to tea rooms to meet an older woman. I must have been around the age of 4 the last time I saw her."

"Ah. That makes sense, you would have been close to 4 years old when she returned to Italy."

"Was there a reason she left?" Severus asked curiously.

"She had arthritis and the cold, damp air of England was exacerbating the condition. That was before the current treatments were available, she was advised by her doctor to move to a warmer climate. She went back to her family in Italy, settled in Palermo and was able to lead a much more active life there than she did here."

"Is she still alive?"

"No, I'm sorry to say that she passed away almost 10 years ago. She was thrown from her horse one morning and landed poorly. She was gone before her sons could reach her, of course your own mother was gone by then as well."

Severus sat quietly, contemplating the information that had been imparted to him. "That's all very interesting, Mr. Figgleworth, but I'm still not sure why I'm here."

"Please bear with me just a little more, Mr. Snape, I promise you things will become much more clear in just a few moments. Do you have the time to indulge me?"

Severus glanced at his watch. He really had very little that had to be done today, and surely whatever news the man had would be to his benefit. Perhaps his grandmother had left him a little bit of money? "I have time, sir, please continue."

"Good. Where was I? Ah yes, your Uncles. Justinus was a rather cold man, which I always thought was odd considering how warm and caring his mother was. As I told you he and Giacomo both worked in the family business after their father's death. Justinus, as the eldest, was the head of the family, and as such he married a suitable woman from a good family, one Iris Black, shortly after Eileen left. Unfortunately, Iris was unable to have children, so when they died during an outbreak of Wibbling's disease Giacomo was left to inherit. By that time his mother had also passed, so he was the only Prince left. He also did his duty and married a woman of good background, one of the Turpin girls I believe. They had a son, Gardan, who died three years ago at age 5." Amadeus clasped his hands in front of him on the desk and considered how best to convey the next bit of information. He looked up and captured Severus' eyes with his own. "There is no easy way to say this. After Gardan's death, Giacomo retreated from the world and locked himself up in his home. He died almost a year ago, leaving you as the next head of the of the Prince family."

"The House of Prince," Severus mused, thinking furiously. "I am unfamiliar with there being a 'house' associated with that name. I was under the impression that it was my mother's maiden name and nothing else?"

"In one way you would be correct. Your exact title would be "Severus Snape, Lord of Ilfracombe and Baron of Nottingham." Figgleworth took a sip of his rapidly cooling tea and said "the actual family name is not Prince, it's the noble and ancient house of Grantham."

Severus carefully placed his glass on the solicitor's desk, sat back and stared at the ceiling for several moments. Figgleworth let him have the time to gather himself, and was rewarded for his patience several moments later when the man sat up and stared at him.

"You did just tell me that I'm the head of an ancient and noble house, did you not?"

"Yes, Mr. Snape, I did. You'll have to be confirmed by Gringotts, of course, but that should be an easy matter. The documentation supporting your claim is irrefutable, there are no other heirs to the title at this time."

"I believe you said that my uncle died a year ago?" Severus paused as the solicitor nodded his head. "Why has it taken so long for you to notify me?"

Amadeus looked uncomfortable and leaned forward, staring at his hands for a moment. "That's the other half of the situation, Mr. Snape. When your Uncle died last fall we immediately attempted to contact you. As the school year had already started, naturally we sent any correspondence to you at Hogwarts. At first, all of our letters were returned unopened. When we were unable to contact you by November, we contacted the goblins. They suspected, given the information we passed on to them and certain things they had noted during the fall, that you had either a mail diversion charm or a specific correspondence blocking hex placed on you. I believe you paid a visit to Gringotts in the past few days?"

"I did indeed, just yesterday as a matter of fact." Severus was looking increasingly perturbed as the conversation continued.

"During your visit, one of their curse breakers took a cursory look at your aura. You did indeed have several charms and hexes placed on you, they were able to remove the one that they identified as a "modified correspondence blocking hex" keyed to both this office and specific accounts at Gringotts, but recommend that you come in to have a more thorough examination done, perhaps when you see to your confirmation as the head of the noble and ancient house of Grantham."

"And when can that be done?"

"I informed the goblins when you accepted our meeting today, they assured me they would have a goblin standing ready if you desired to attend to your confirmation etc. today."

Severus tapped his lips with the tip of one long finger as he thought. "It seems to me it would be best to get as much done as can be accomplished today."

"Very well," the solicitor said reaching for a sheet of parchment, scribbling a quick note and sending it out the mail slot in his door. "Do you have any idea who would want to place such a hex upon you?"

"Two people spring to mind, but I'm unsure as to why either one would find it necessary."

A gold colored paper bird soared through the mail slot, circled the room once, and landed neatly on Mr. Figgleworth's desk. He unfolded it, read the contents, and looked at his client with a smirk on his face.

"The goblins are ready for us if we would like to step across to them. The firm has a private entrance into the Wills and Bequests office so we will not need to venture into the alley."

Severus rose silently and gestured for the solicitor to precede him. They traveled down a narrow corridor to a non-descript door set into an alcove. Mr. Figgleworth knocked twice and a previously hidden slot opened half way down the door. The men could see an eye staring at them fiercely for a few seconds before the slot snapped shut and the door was flung open.

"Your business?" a goblin demanded from the threshold.

"Amadeus Figgleworth and Severus Snape to see Goblin Advisor Spearfang regarding the Prince account."

The goblin surveyed them a moment more before stepping back to allow them entrance to Gringott's department of Wills and Bequests. Severus noted several more non-descript doors set into the walls of the room they walked through. He assumed that they belonged to other solicitors. A short walk placed them at an elaborate door with the title "Spearfang" in gold letters emblazoned on it.

They were ushered through the door, across the waiting room and straight into the inner office. A wizened, elderly goblin sat behind a large ornate desk with many pieces of paper scattered across it. He stared at the men as they entered.

"Severus Snape, I presume?"

"Yes," Severus said, making sure to stare straight into the goblin's eyes. Anything less could be viewed as a sign of submission, something that he'd never been very good at.

Spearfang nodded approvingly. All the information they'd been able to glean on this man indicated that he was a tough and tenacious individual. He'd need to have both attributes in abundance to assume his rightful place in the wizarding world. "Is it your intention to assume the honors of your family this day?"

"I so intend."

"Very well." Spearfang motioned both men to take seats before his desk. He took a moment to organize the papers on his desk into three piles before looking back at them. "Did Mr. Figgleworth discuss the hex that was removed from you yesterday?"

"Yes." Severus turned to look at his solicitor, noticing that the man had a quill in hand and was writing on a paper resting on a knee desk.

"Do you have any questions regarding that action?"

"Is there any way to tell who put them on me?" Severus asked, looking intently at the goblin.

"There is indeed, and if you'll be patient, I will be happy to go into more depth regarding that matter." Spearfang tapped a small pile of papers to the right of him. "These are the papers that will need to be signed in order for you to attain your hereditary rights. These papers," he said, tapping the sizeable pile in the middle of the desk, "are in reference to the vaults, properties and investments of the family."

The third pile consisted of three pages, Spearfang picked the three up and set them in front of Severus, each sheet set apart from the others so they could be clearly seen. "These papers are permission to scan for hexes and charms; permission to remove said hexes and charms; and a request for Gringotts to determine who cast said hexes and charms." He sat back and watched expectantly as Severus thought.

"What exactly is the procedure for each of these options, and what is the cost," Severus asked.

Spearfang nodded in approval. A human with the intellect to ask questions before jumping into something was a welcome change from the people he usually dealt with. "The scan is just that, a simple scan. The procedure for the removal of any remaining charms and hexes will depend on the exact nature of the spells used, but we will discuss your options before attempting anything. The identification is a charm that is cast prior to removing unwanted hexes and charms, it ties to each spell and identifies the magical signature of the person who cast it. As Gringotts has branches throughout the wizarding world it is rare that we are unable to identify the caster. The cost also depends on the number and complexity of spells to be removed. For the three services the cost ranges from 50 galleons for one or two very simple spells up to 3000 galleons or more."

Severus shook his head. "Unfortunately I do not currently have the money necessary to pay for these procedures if they are complex, as I anticipate that they are. Perhaps at a later date, depending on the holdings I am inheriting, I will be able to afford this service.

"Severus, the estate will pay for this to be done, and I would highly recommend that you attend to it prior to taking up the reins of your lordship. There are certain magics involved that may react badly if you have certain types of spells on you," Amadeus said, leaning forward earnestly.

"In that case, if you would," Severus said, pointing toward the three papers. Spearfang quickly handed them over along with a solicitor's quill. "When should I make myself available?"

"We have one of our best teams standing by as we anticipated that you would wish to avail yourself of their expertise in this matter. If you would follow me?"

Severus nodded and stood up. To his surprise Amadeus stayed seated. He raised an enquiring eyebrow toward the man.

Amadeus shook his head. "I'm not permitted to attend you, Severus, these are rituals that are closely guarded by Gringotts and those who don't have to know are not invited to participate. You should know, however, that I have been assured that whomever attends to you this afternoon, whether they be goblin or human, has been instructed that their oath to the bank includes any and all activities involving you."

"Good to know, I will see you when I return?"

"I will be waiting."

Severus followed Spearfang through a plain door on the opposite side they'd entered from and down the narrow corridor beyond it. The walls were hewn out of stone and lit with torches which cast a flickering red light over the floor. Overall it was a rather ominous atmosphere, Severus mused as they walked. They turned to the right as they got to the end of the corridor and immediately began a slow descent into the bowels of Gringotts, presumably down toward the vaults. Severus had of course visited his meager vault prior to this visit, however, he'd not had the opportunity to be in this part of the bank. They eventually stopped in front of an opening in the wall with what looked to be a simple cotton curtain hung over it.

Spearfang paused in front of the curtain and turned to Severus. "This your last chance to back out Human, are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Severus stared at the goblin for a moment, trying to determine what his expression meant. Slowly he nodded his head. "I believe so."

He received a nod in return from his guide, who pulled back the curtain gestured for Severus to enter the room beyond it. Severus stepped cautiously through the entrance and paused inside to inspect the room. It appeared to be an old fashioned robing room. There were curtained cubicles to one side and racks of plain linen robes in a variety of soft colors hanging in the center. The room was lit with magic sconces scattered around the walls, imparting a soothing creamy light over everything.

"If you would, Mr. Snape," Spearfang said, gesturing toward the robes. "I believe you'll find a robe that will fit you on the far rack. You may leave your clothing in the cubicle, it will be moved to the recovery room for your convenience. Make sure that you remove all metal and animal objects, including your wand. The only things that should remain on your body should come from plant products that have never have been exposed to magical processes. It would be my recommendation that you wear the ceremonial robe and nothing else, the result of not removing all such items can be very….unfortunate," the goblin said with a toothy grin. Severus got the feeling that the Goblins might enjoy seeing him experience the result of such an "unfortunate event".

He stepped to the indicated rack and held a robe from the middle of it up to himself. "How long should this be, and should I pick a particular color?"

Spearfang grunted in approval. Sensible questions! "The length is immaterial, you should choose what is comfortable for you. The color however, that may have ramifications. I would suggest a white one, given that we do not yet know what procedures will need to be done, the purest of the colors would be best."

Severus nodded and shifted the robes over, looking for one long enough to fit his lanky frame. Ah, this one should do, it looked, upon holding it up to his shoulders, as though it would fall to his ankles. He took the robe from the hanger it was on and retreated to a cubby to disrobe. As he'd thought, the robe covered from his shoulders to just above his ankles quite nicely. Severus returned to the goblin and followed him silently to a door hidden behind a rack of robes.

"I cannot enter this room with you," Spearfang said. "Only those who have been through the purification rituals are permitted to enter. I will be waiting for you when you are finished." He nodded his head to the wizard and left the room quietly, leaving Severus staring at the door in front of him. He squared his shoulders and opened the door slowly, and carefully stepped across the threshold. A knot of people were gathered at the other end of a room that was dominated by what appeared to be a stone table covered in carved runes. Each wore a robe similar to his, but of a variety of colors from white like his to deepest red.

A man in a light green robe detached himself from the others and crossed the room to Severus. "I'm Master Healer Candidate Sanderford, I will be assisting in monitoring your health during the removal process. Please come this way," he said, indicating the table. "I'm afraid it's not too comfortable, but we need you to lie in the middle of the table."

Severus sat on the edge of the table and stared at the others still gathered across the room, listening as a tall gray haired man robed in deep red spoke softly. The others nodded in agreement and turned as a group to approach the table, the grey haired man in the lead, several pieces of parchment in his hand.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Snape, I'm Master Curse Breaker Smyth. I will be performing most of the curse breaking that is required this afternoon. Each of the team assembled today has their particular strength and is considered one of the best at their discipline. Due to the unknown nature of the situation we've called in as many disciplines as possible." Smyth bowed his head once and moved away to allow the next person to introduce herself.

"Elisabetta Gerasimo, Detection."

"Manuel Santodomingo, Charms Master."

"Gripheart, Wardmaster."

"Jason Seefarthing, Master of Defense."

"Lyrae Malfoy, Master Healer" Severus stared intently at the woman. She was tall and willowy in her green robe, with long blond hair streaked with grey. "Lucius is my younger brother."

"I was unaware that he had any siblings," Severus said, eyebrow quirked in question.

"I'm not surprised. That is a tale for another day, however." She stepped back and gestured the next person forward.

"Herbert Sanderford, Master Healer candidate:"

"Brendan Finnoch, Master Curse Breaker."

Severus looked at the last person in surprise. The red haired man grinned at him before saying "Hello Professor, William Weasley, Journeyman Curse Breaker. I'm here to take notes and assist as needed. Oh, before you ask, no one will hear of this from me, our oaths cover that."

"I'm more worried about someone removing the knowledge from your head without your being aware of it than I am of you volunteering information," Severus said sardonically.

Bill nodded his head in understanding. "Occlumency is part of our training, sir, we must be proficient before we are permitted to leave our training."

Severus nodded in acquiescence.

Master Smyth came to the fore again. "Generally, Professor Snape, we prefer to cast the detection scan first to determine what we are dealing with, then follow with the identification charm so that as we remove any spells the caster will be detected. That information will be recorded on specially charmed parchment, Bill Weasley will monitor the process from that desk," he said, pointing to a stone desk and chair in a corner of the room. "The final step will be to remove any charms or curses found. We will of course discuss the process with you before we begin. Do you have any questions?" Smyth waited while Severus thought carefully for a moment before shaking his head no. "Very well then, if you would please lie down in the middle of the table, arms at your sides with the palms down."

Severus lay back on the cold table and stared at the rock ceiling above him. Rarely had he ever felt so exposed. It was a feeling that he was unaccustomed to, and one that he would prefer never to have to experience again. Few realized it, but one of the reasons that he buried himself under so many layers of cloth was because of the illusion of protection that it gave him. Not that his clothes weren't spelled with as many useful protective charms as he could afford, but the extra layers gave him a feeling of emotional protection that couldn't be found in other ways. Lying on a cold table dressed only in a thin linen robe surrounded by unfamiliar wizards and witches was akin to his worst nightmare.

Elisabeta Gerasimo stepped up next to him, wand in hand. "This is a special ritual wand. Its only purpose is to assist in this type of situation. Please relax as much as possible and don't fight the magic. It needs to delve deep into your core to analyze any magic that has been placed upon you."

Severus nodded and tried to relax. He focused his mind on the latest potions article he'd read regarding the use of chicken lips in medicinal potions. A wave of magic passed through his body, causing him to tense and shiver slightly.

"You are doing well, Professor, just a few more minutes. Remember to relax as much as possible," the detection mistress said in a soothing tone of voice.

He went back to contemplating the chicken lips, trying to ignore the chill that was rapidly spreading from the outside of his body to his inner core. Perhaps if he added some griffon toenails that would stabilize the second step better than the butterfly talc. Hmmm.

"We're done, you may sit up if you wish."

Severus slowly sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the table. Most of the team were clustered around the desk, peering intently at some parchment. One of the healers, Sandeford, approached him and waved his wand slowly over Severus. "Are you aware that you are showing signs of both malnutrition and prolonged exposure to the cruciatus curse?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and folded the sleeve of the robe from the dark mark on his arm. "It's rather an occupational hazard."

"Nevertheless, there are some things that we can do to help curb the nerve damage it's caused. I am unsure if a full recovery is possible, with your permission I can do an analysis while the others are conferring?"

He nodded agreement and watched carefully as Sandeford chanted softly and waved his wand over Severus' head. "I will return with my diagnosis before you undergo the removal process."

Smyth led the way back over to Severus, several sheets of parchment in hand and the rest of the team following. "Well, it's not the worst I've seen, but you have an impressive collection of hexes, charms, and spells upon your person. Let's start with the most serious and work out from there, shall we?" He waited a moment for Snape to nod agreement and then continued on.

"By far the most serious to your health and mental stability are a block on your magical core and multiple memory charms."

"WHAT?"

"I take it you were unaware of them?"

"Oh yes, you can safely say that," Severus said, seething. "What else did you find?"

"There is a broken obfuscation charm specifically keyed to Gringotts, several depression charms, a hate hex keyed to a specific person. I am unable to tell who that person is at this time. Several trust compulsion charms, evidence of mind control potions, an appearance hex, and multiple exposures to the cruciatus curse. Of course there is the negative energy from the Dark Mark as well."

"What are you able to do with them?" 

"Each of them can be removed, the question is, do you want them all removed?" Smyth waited patiently while Severus thought.

"You can remove them all? Even the Dark Mark?"

"Indeed we can. It's a lengthy process, but it can be done. In fact, after the last war we removed several dark marks. If you'd like my recommendation, why don't you think about it and we'll cast the identity charm. Knowing who cast what spell may influence your final decision."

"Agreed." Severus lay back on the table and waited while Smyth called the Charms master over.

"Please stay still Professor, this will take a few moments," Santodomingo said as he slowly waved his wand over Severus, starting at his head and moving downward. He stopped a few times and flicked his wand toward the desk before finally stopping for good at Severus' feet. "That should do it. Give me a few minutes to look over the results. Until then you can sit up."

Severus watched from his perch on the table as the team met around the desk again and confirmed. Healer Malfoy approached the table and looked at him searchingly for a moment before returning to the group and gesturing to Bill Weasley. Bill nodded and left the room, returning a moment later with a stone cup. He approached Severus, handing him the cup and saying "Healer Malfoy wants you to drink this, it's just fresh spring water," he said as Severus sniffed at the contents of the cup suspiciously. He sipped at the water, determined it was indeed spring water, and drank the rest of the draught.

"Mr. Weasley, attend me please," Master Curse breaker Smyth called from the other side of the room." Bill grinned at his former professor, took the empty cup and returned to the desk.

Severus waited impatiently as the conversation continued on the other side of the room. Finally the team returned to his table, Smyth in the lead.

"This was a bit unexpected, honestly," the Curse breaker started. "I think it's important that you consider carefully what you wish us to do, Professor," he said, handing the parchment to Severus.

Severus looked down at the parchment. The list of spells was neatly divided into two columns, one much longer than the other. He concentrated on the shorter column first. It was headed by the name "Tom Riddle Jr." and consisted of pretty much what he expected, multiple cruciatus curses, the Dark Mark, and a trust compulsion charm. He was a bit surprised to see that the Dark Lord had placed a block on his magical core, but upon further thought realized that he really should have expected it. The Dark Lord would not stand for any competition, he'd want to neutralize his more powerful followers without rendering them useless to him, a block on their power would allow him to ensure no one in his ranks had power approaching his own. He turned his attention to the other column and felt his face blanch. This column was headed by the name "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore" and was much more lengthy than the other column. The list of spells, hexes, charms and potions that the man he'd trusted above all others had subjected him to stretched to more than half the scroll. He could vaguely hear a voice rising above the buzzing in his ears.

"Professor Snape, can you hear me? William, would you please retrieve a calming potion from my bag?"

"Right away, Healer Malfoy."

Severus became aware of a vial at his lips and a pleasant voice telling him to drink. He absentmindedly sniffed at the liquid contained within, identifying the chamomile and valerian extracts used in most calming potions and readily gulped it down. He slowly became aware of grey eyes looking within concern at him.

"Better?"

He nodded, noting that Healer Malfoy had her fingers against the pulse point in his wrist, apparently monitoring his physical well being.

Curse breaker Smyth stepped up to his side saying "Are you feeling alright Professor? Would you like to take a break for a few minutes? I can have Journeyman Weasley bring you some herbal tea if you like."

Severus took a moment to consider before answering. "No, Master Smyth, at this point I believe it will be more beneficial to continue. I have some questions. I take it there is no doubt these results are accurate?"

"I can certainly understand why you would question the results, I had the same concern and cast several different verification charms upon the parchment. There is no doubt, Professor Snape, Albus Dumbledore did indeed violate your person with the listed charms, hexes and potions. Where we go from here is up to you however. As mentioned before we can remove some or all of the items on the parchment. We would certainly understand if you wish to discontinue the process and take some time to consider your options, the team can be reconvened with 24 hours notice to Gringotts."

Snape gazed at the parchment and thought furiously. He'd been the pawn of one master or another since the summer of 1978, and it appeared that neither of the two wizards he'd followed had been trustworthy. Perhaps, yes, that would be the best thing for now, at least until he had time to talk with someone. "Is it possible to remove everything except the Dark Mark without the caster being aware that they've been removed?"

"Yes. It's a modified glamour spell that fools the caster into thinking that his magic is still functioning as intended."

He thought for a moment more, his eyes searching out Bill Weasley. "Weasley."

"Yes, Professor?"

Severus noted that his former student was even paler than he normally was, and that his normally brilliant blue eyes were rather dull. "I can trust you not to pass this on to anyone, correct?"

Bill stared at his former professor, his mind still whirling with the information that had been uncovered this afternoon. He lifted his wand and spoke softly but intensely "I swear on my magic that I will not divulge by word or deed the information uncovered during this ritual to anyone save those that Potions Master Severus Snape designates." A brilliant white light flashed through the room acknowledging the oath. "Professor, may I come and speak with you in the next few days," he asked respectfully.

The Potions Master surveyed him carefully. "Send me an owl in the next day or two and we can arrange something."

Bill nodded his head respectfully and returned to his desk on the other side of the room.

Severus thought for a few minutes more as the team withdrew to allow him the time and space he needed to consider his options. "Master Smyth, I believe I've reached a decision." Smyth returned to his side. "I would like to have all but the Dark Mark removed, but I'm a bit concerned with the amount of time it will take."

The Curse breaker nodded his head. "I can certainly understand that. While there are numerous items listed that need to be addressed, most can be removed with either the same incantation or the same potion. I can't give you an exact amount of time, but it is reasonable to assume that it shouldn't take more than an hour to an hour and a half. I do have to warn you, though, that some of the procedures will most likely be extremely uncomfortable. Standard procedure in situations such as this is to place the client under sedation so that they remain comfortable while we work. Is that acceptable to you?"

He thought for a moment before nodding in acquiescence. While the loss of control was not appealing, the thought of remaining fully aware through the entire procedure was not enticing either. Better to allow them to do their work unencumbered.

"Very well, give us a few moments to get things collected and set up, and we'll begin."

Herbert Sanderford slipped quietly up to the table, a parchment clutched in his hands and several vials barely visible in the pockets of his robe. Healer Malfoy had followed him over and gently plucked the parchment out of the younger man's hands. "Professor, according to my results I believe we can completely remediate the effects caused by the cruciatus curse, however, the persistent malnutrition would best be cured through the use of nutrition potions over a prolonged length of time."

Lyrae Malfoy nodded in agreement, handing the parchment back to her younger colleague. "Healer Sanderford is correct, it took time to get into this level of malnutrition, and it will take time to get out of it." She turned to Sanderford. "What potions have you brought with you?"

He plucked 4 potions out of his pocket and handed them to his supervisor, who looked them over carefully before nodding and indicating he should proceed.

Sanderford held out the first potion, Severus took it and looked at it intently. "It's a nerve regenerator, Professor. Drink that one first," he paused as Severus tossed it back and reached for the next. "This is a neurotransmitter regulator. It restores the balance of the natural neurotransmitters in your brain." Severus nodded and drank that one quickly. So far they weren't too odious tasting. Sanderford held up a violent pink, rather oily potion next. "This one is a joint lubricant and tendon strengthener." That one was a bit more piquant in flavor, but not too bad. "The final one I must warn you is rather unpleasant." Sanderford paused and rolled the final vial between his fingers, trying to decide how to describe the effects of the sickly yellow potion.

"Herbert, I find it's best to be blunt in cases like this," Lyrae said, grabbing the vial from his fingers. "Master Snape, I'm afraid this is one of those things that must just be born. It tastes like dirty Quidditch socks, which is bad enough, but its purpose is to purge the damage that the cruciatus curse has done to you physically, and that is not a pleasant process." She handed the final vial to the Potions Master and waited patiently for him to drink it.

Severus winced as he sniffed it carefully. Unfortunately it did smell extremely unpleasant. Well, nothing for it but to drink it. "Merlin's beard," he coughed as the potion burned going down his esophagus and settled into his stomach. He hunched over clutching his stomach and fighting to keep the vile brew down.

"Just a few more minutes, Professor, it should only take a few minutes to work its way through your system and out again. Herbert, hand me that cloth. Thank you," Lyrae said as she gently wiped Severus' face for him. "Ah, there we go."

The pain in his stomach was slowly fading away to be replaced by a burning sensation that ran through his veins and into every part of his body, followed by a noxious smelling cloud that rose from his pores.

"Very well done, Master Snape, I wish more of my patients would cooperate as you have," Lyrae said. "I know that you can't tell right now, but by the time you wake from the removal procedure your body will have healed itself from the majority of the damage that has been done to it. We will have your nutrient potions and instructions for their use waiting for you outside the room when we are done. Why don't you lie back and relax for now, I'm sure Master Smyth will be ready soon, she said, smiling at him.

Severus levered himself down onto the table, surprised at how good it felt to lie quietly on the cool stone. He allowed his mind to drift, considering various scenarios and directions to go as he waited for the curse breakers to return to his side of the room.

"Potions Master Snape?"

Severus shot up from the table, his heart beating. It was very unusual for someone to be able to sneak up on him like that, usually he was extremely aware of his surroundings.

"Easy there, I was just asking if you are ready," Master Curse Breaker Smyth said.

"Yes."

"William, I believe you have the draught?"

The red headed young man stood at his mentor's shoulder, a steaming goblet held in both hands. "Yes sir."

"Give me the goblet, you help Master Snape sit up. I know, you can sit up yourself, but this is a very fast acting draught, and I'd prefer you not to smash your head on the table when it takes effect. We find it's better to have someone brace the client so that doesn't happen."

He allowed Bill to brace him and reached for the goblet. A brief sensation of a surprisingly viscous liquid sliding down his throat and gentle hands helping him to lie back were all he was aware of as he fell asleep.

"Master Snape, can you hear me?"

The voice sounded like it was coming from a long distance away.

"Professor?"

"Twenty points from Gryffindor," he mumbled.

"I think he's coming around," Bill said, snickering softly to himself.

"Thank you Journeyman, why don't you retrieve the potions I set out on the desk," a musical feminine voice said from the left of him.

Severus dragged his eyes open and took in his surroundings, a lifetime of spying had trained him to look before moving when regaining consciousness, you never knew what was around you. What was around him right now were the concerned faces of Master Smyth and Master Healer Malfoy.

"Master Snape, how do you feel?" Lyrae asked him.

"Like I was trampled by one of Hagrid's pets," he grunted, trying to maneuver himself into a sitting position, only to have the healer lightly push him down again.

"Lie down again until these have taken affect," she said, accepting several potions from Bill Weasley and handing them to Severus, who looked at them suspiciously. "Nothing more than two specific pain killers, a muscle relaxant, and a potion that we've developed to help counteract some of the negative effects of having your memories restored."

Severus nodded and downed each foul tasting concoction and waited for them to take effect, cataloging the various aches and pains that were present in his body. The slow cessation of pain was a welcome relief, and he tried again to sit up, this time able to reach a full upright position.

"Better, Master Snape?" Smyth asked, watching as his client became more and more aware.

"Much."

"Rest here for a few minutes, sir, then we'll discuss the results of the procedure. Weasley, bring some water over."

"Yes, Sir," Bill said, filling the stone cup that Severus had used previously from an ewer placed on a small table to the right of the desk and bringing it to him. "How are you feeling, Professor?"

Severus thought for a moment. "Odd, Mr. Weasley, very odd."

Bill nodded and opened his mouth to reply when he was interrupted by his mentor.

"Weasley, come over here for a minute."

"Sorry sir," he said, shrugging and turning back to the people congregated around the desk.

Severus contemplated them as he sipped his water. Most of the team appeared to be quite fatigued. He sat a few more minutes and collected his thoughts before saying "I believe I am ready to hear what you have to say."

Healer Malfoy returned from the table and reached for his wrist to check his pulse and look intently in his eyes. Severus suffered the fussing, feeling quite sure that this woman would not be bullied as easily as Poppy Pomphrey was. In any case, he was more likely to get the information he wanted if he cooperated than if he tried to avoid her annoying attentions.

"Do you think you can stand?" she asked.

"I believe so," he replied.

"Very well. William, would you please come assist Master Snape? I think we'll remove to the antechamber, it's more comfortable for prolonged conversations."

"Yes Ma'm," Weasley said, coming to Severus' side and offering his arm as the man slid carefully off the table. Severus took a few seconds to accustom himself to being on his feet before taking a tentative step. He was a bit surprised to find that he was able to walk without assistance to the small room just outside the door.

"If you think you are strong enough your clothes are behind that curtain," Bill said, pointing to a corner of the room that was curtained off to provide some privacy.

Severus nodded curtly and moved carefully toward the curtain. He slowly pulled on layer upon layer of his clothing, buttoning each button with care until he was restored to his usual order before pulling back the curtain and entering the small room.

To his surprise only three people waited for him, Master Smyth, Master Malfoy, and Bill Weasley.

"Master Snape, we felt that the rest of the team did not need to be present for the results to be given to you, we felt sure that between us, Healer Malfoy and I could answer any questions you might have. I am training Journeyman Weasley on all aspects of curse breaking, and this is a part of the profession that he has yet to learn, if you have no objections I would like for him to sit in on this session," Smyth said, rising and pulling one of the chairs at the wooden table out for him.

Snape settled himself into the surprisingly comfortable chair and gazed at his former student. "I have no objections to Mr. Weasley being present."

"Thank you, Master Snape." He shuffled through the papers that were on the desk in front of him until he found one with a list on it and placed it on top of the others. "First off, I should tell you that we were successful at removing all of the curses, hexes and spells that were placed upon you. Some of them were a bit more difficult to remove than anticipated, particularly the memory charms. I conducted a final scan of your person to ascertain that there were no remaining magics on you with the exception of the curse on your arm, and am able to confirm that it is the only remaining foreign magic on you. Do you have any questions, sir?"

Severus thought for a moment. "Not at this time."

"Very well, you will receive a copy of this report in a few days. Healer Malfoy?"

Lyrae nodded and reached for her stack of papers. "Given the nature of the spells removed from you it is very likely that you will feel unlike your normal self for a few days. "I'm sorry I can't be more precise," she said, holding up a hand as he moved to interrupt her, "but the amount of time to recuperate varies by person. It is somewhat dependent on the number of spells removed, which in your case was a fairly high number." She reached for a bag to the side of her papers and removed several vials of liquid. "These are painkillers. I want you to take a mouthful every 6 hours for the next two days and as necessary after that. Your body will not recover as quickly while it's in pain as it would were it not in pain."

She waited for Severus to indicate his agreement, which he begrudgingly did. She removed several more vials and laid them next to the first ones she had drawn out. "These are muscle relaxants, I am not giving you a schedule to take them on, take one when you need one. If you think a hot herbal bath will be sufficient, it's perfectly fine to skip them. Your discretion. Several more vials appeared from the bag, each filled what Severus recognized as a broad spectrum nutrient solution. "Make sure that you take half a vial of this nutrient potion every morning with breakfast. And make sure that you actually eat a balanced breakfast. In other words, something more than coffee or tea. "

The healer waited once again for his nod of agreement before continuing on, her expression becoming serious as she withdrew 7 vials made of a dark green glass. "These are the most important potions I am giving you, and you must be sure to use them exactly as directed. The memory charms that were placed upon you were not only numerous, they were placed extremely strongly. We were able to break through the blocks, but if we allowed the memories to return all at once there was an increased likelihood that you would be driven insane. You must take one full vial of this tincture with eight ounces of purified spring water every night before bed. They will allow your memories to begin returning slowly at night so that the experience is not jarring. Do not skip a dose, do not combine doses, and do not forget to drink water with them. Is that clear Master Snape?" she asked, staring at him intently.

Severus stared back, an eyebrow cocked in surprise. "What, may I ask, is the name of this potion?"

"Memoria Recidivus Sensim. It is restricted and you are unlikely to have heard of it. We use it exclusively at Gringotts for exactly this type of situation. I am giving these instructions to you now to remind you of the directions that go with the different potions."

He took the offered parchment without comment, it was unlikely that he would forget, but not worth the trouble at this point to scoff at the woman.

"Will you be able to go straight home or do you have further business with Gringotts today?" the healer asked as she put the potions back in the small bag.

"I have business that cannot wait," he said as he accepted the bag.

"I thought that might be the case," she said, pulling another vial from the pocket of her robe and offering it to him. "I'm sure you recognize pepper-up potion, I would recommend you take it with you and use it if you feel yourself tiring. I'd also recommend that you not apparate today, your body has been through a rough time, Master Snape, you would be wise to allow it to recover before stressing it that much."

"Very well. Master Healer," he said, taking the vial and sticking it into one of the pockets in his robe specially cushioned for potions vials.

"Do you have any questions I can answer for you?" Lyrae said, arms folded on the stack of papers.

"Not at this time."

"If you do think of any questions, feel free to contact us through your account manager," Smyth said rising. "There should be a clerk outside the door waiting to conduct you to Spearfang's office."

Severus paused as he walked toward the door and turned to address the others. "Would it be possible for me to talk with Journeyman Weasley privately for a few moments?"

"If you wish," Master Curse breaker Smyth said, holding Lyrae's chair for her as she stood. They exited the room, leaving Bill facing his former professor, a look of curiosity on his face.

"I assume you saw the list of spells and curses that were removed?" Severus asked, Bill nodded. "Did you also note who had placed the majority of them?"

Bill nodded again, a look of anger crossing his face. "Yes Professor, I did notice that."

Severus paused, staring intently at the younger man. "Then you will understand why I urge you to take a close look at your family?"

"Yes sir."

Severus nodded and reached for the door, saying as he left the room, "Don't forget to owl me in a few days, Weasley."

"I won't sir," Bill said as the door closed softly behind the stern man.

18


	2. Chapter 2

Severus stared at the wall of his bedroom at Spinners End. It had been four days since his visit to Gringott's and the revelation of his inheritance. He was over half way through the process of retrieving his memories, and waking each morning was an adventure. They appeared to be returning in reverse chronological order, most recent to distant past.

He turned over to face the bedside table and reached for the muggle pen and notebook he'd purchased from the small store next to the pub in the center of town after he returned from the bank the other day. So far he'd counted no less than 10 memory charms placed on him by Albus Dumbledore all relating in some way to Harry Potter. Given the memories that had been revealed, Severus was deeply concerned as to the welfare of the son of his dearest friend. Last night had brought him from the end of Potter's first year back through the year before he started at Hogwarts. He now knew that the person the localized hate charm was keyed to was Potter, he remembered the Headmaster calling him to his office the summer prior to Potter's first year and trying to convince him that Harry needed to be honed through adversity, and that Severus' part in the process was to be the bastard he and his friends unified against. When he'd refused, for reasons that he had yet to remember but suspected would become clear in the next night or so, Dumbledore had cast an obliviate and made sure that Severus would follow his instructions whether he was naturally inclined to or not.

Severus put the pen to paper, jotting down the memories as they replayed in his mind. He wanted a written record of them as they occurred not so much to use as a weapon against Dumbledore but so that he could go back when all the memories were recovered and examine them in detail to see what patterns emerged. He'd also found that it was best to do it immediately upon waking in the morning, even before he stumbled down to the tiny kitchenette to make coffee. First task of the morning finished, he closed the notebook, put it on his table and stood up, intending to head for the kitchen to get the coffee going before coming back up for a shower.

He'd made it down the stairs and to the door of the small, book cluttered sitting room when the fireplace glowed green and a frantic voice called out "Severus!"

He pivoted on his bare foot and pointed his wand at the disembodied head in one swift move. "Narcissa?" he said as he lowered his wand and approached the fireplace. "Is something the matter?"

Narcissa nodded adding "Lucius is passed out on the floor of the Library. Draco found him and tried to wake him, but he's not responding. Will you come through? Please Severus?"

"Was he called?" Severus asked, already considering what supplies might be needed that wouldn't likely already be at the manor.

"Yes, but he returned without injury. He never came to bed last night; I assumed he was working on a project or on business. You know how he gets sometimes."

He nodded, knowing how likely his friend was to become caught up in ancient runes or new business projects. "Give me five minutes to dress and grab some supplies, Narcissa."

"Thank you, Severus," she said as her head disappeared from the fire.

Severus took the steps two at a time, muttering a cleaning spell as he went. So much for a nice long shower to get the kinks out. Not to mention the coffee. His mind turned to his friend. Lucius presented the cold, forbidding face of a pureblood lord to the world, but those who knew him well understood the mask for what it was; a cover for a man who loved his family dearly and would do anything for them. Had the dark lord never arisen, perhaps Lucius would have been able to throw off the mask his father had imposed on him. Unfortunately Voldemort's presence in his life had not only solidified Lucius' air of well bred superiority, it had bled over into Draco.

Shrugging on his coat and absent mindedly casting a buttoning charm as he went back down the stairs to his laboratory, Severus considered what could have happened to Lucius. Perhaps a time delayed charm? Time delayed poison? Unlikely, a time delayed poison would have killed him by now. He swept along the shelves grabbing vials of potions that might possibly be needed, tucking them carefully into a box he'd made specifically for carrying quantities of potions through the floo system. There, that should do it, and he could always floo back if he needed something he hadn't tucked in the box. He returned to the sitting room, tossed some floo powder into the fireplace and shouted out "Malfoy Manor," taking care to tuck his elbows against his sides and grasp the box tightly.

He stepped out into the grand salon where the public floo was located and found Draco waiting for him, a look of distress on his face. "Godfather," he said formally as he inclined his head and approached the man he thought of as a favored uncle.

"Draco, what happened?" he asked as he followed Draco out of the receiving area and into the hall.

"Father wasn't at breakfast this morning, but that's not unusual, sometimes he takes it at his office in London, or gets wrapped up in work and doesn't eat until Mother finds him and makes him eat. So I wasn't surprised he wasn't at table. I went to the library to get a book for my homework and found Father on the floor. I couldn't wake him up, Uncle Severus," Draco finished, a look of dread on his face.

"Think back carefully," Severus said as they approached the door to the library. "Can you picture the room in your mind?"

Draco stopped and closed his eyes, thinking carefully back to what he'd seen. He nodded when he felt he had the scene firmly in mind.

"Was there anything unusual about your father or the room itself? Anything out of place or looking like it shouldn't have been there?"

Draco frowned as he thought; carefully walking through the room he could picture and looking at his father sprawled in a heap on the floor. "Bottles."

Severus turned to face Draco full on, eyebrows raised incredulously. "Bottles?"

"Bottles," Draco confirmed, nodding as he kept his eyes closed and concentrated. "Father's normal liquor bottles were there, but there were some other, unusual bottles there too. They were made of some colored glass and had ancient runes on them; I've never seen them before."

"Oh Merlin," Severus breathed, turning and breaking into a sprint for the door, Draco at his heels. He burst into the room to find Narcissa hovering over Lucius, who had apparently been moved from the floor to the sofa and covered with a blanket. "Any change?" he asked as he approached Lucius and waved his wand over his friend, muttering a basic monitoring charm.

"Nothing," Narcissa replied, staring at her apparently comatose husband. "Do you have any ideas?"

"One moment, let me finish the monitoring charm," he muttered as he finished the charm and read the results that floated above his friend. "Damn. Draco, see if you can find those bottles. Cissa, do you remember what happened to Abraxas?"

Narcissa looked puzzled and then terrified. "Not Dragon Pox?"

Severus stopped rummaging in his box of potions to look at her, shocked. "Narcissa, Abraxas didn't have Dragon Pox."

"What? But that's what he died from."

"No, Cissa, that's what we told everyone else. He actually died from an interaction of magical drugs and alcohol. Most wizards never have any difficulty with the two, Abraxas was missing a component needed to metabolize them and it killed him. I warned Lucius at that time the he should never take the chance of combining the two; it may be an inherited condition."

Narcissa blanched. "What? Why wasn't I told this? Is Draco susceptible?"

"I don't know if Draco will be susceptible, if Lucius has the same deficiency then Draco is much more likely to have it as well. As to why you weren't told, well, my guess is that it got lost in the aftermath of the Dark Lord's disappearance."

"Here Uncle Severus, I called Father's elf and asked him for what Father had been drinking last night." Draco shoved a handful of oddly colored, cordial sized bottles into his godfather's hands. "Nobbie said that Father had a glass of Absinth before dismissing him. Here's the glass he used, but I don't think it smells like Absinth in it." Draco handed the heavy cut crystal glass to his mother who sniffed delicately at it before handing it Severus, who had to place the handful of bottles onto the end table next to the couch before taking it from her.

"Calvados?" Severus mused as he sniffed energetically at the glass, "and perhaps a tinge of Chartreuse? Lucius, what the hell were you thinking?" He turned to look once again at the numbers hovering above his friend's body. "Damn. Draco, are there labels on the bottles?"

"Yes sir."

"Read them to me."

"Joyeaux 1, Elixer of Fairy, Tincture of Lady Bella, oh, two Elixers of Fairy…uhm, and I think this one says Bangers Brats?"

"Let me see that," Narcissa said removing the final bottle from her son's hand. "Dragon's Breath. Merlin's saggy pants, Severus, what are we going to do?" the normally self possessed woman wailed.

"Cissa, this is way above my abilities. If it had been a poison or a potion of some kind, or even a dark hex or charm I might have been able to handle the situation, but if what I think is happening is in fact what the situation is, then you need a true healer. Do you have one you trust?"

"With information as damaging as this has the potential to be? No, our regular family doctor would hold our secrets, but he is adequate for uncomplicated conditions, not something like this."

Draco looked back and forth between his mother and godfather. "I don't understand, what's wrong with Father? Didn't he just drink too much?"

"Not entirely Draco and it's too involved to go into right now. I will discuss it with you later," Severus said thinking quickly. Perhaps…. "Narcissa, I recently had reason to be at Gringott's. I had dealings with a healer that identified herself as Lyrae Malfoy," he let his voice die out questioningly.

Narcissa's eyes opened wide. "Lyrae…Severus…that name has not been spoken in this house in years."

"Mother?" Draco asked, confused. "Who is Lyrae Malfoy?" Draco had never heard the name before and he was fairly certain he'd met all his Malfoy relatives.

"Quiet Draco, let me think," his mother ordered, trying to concentrate as she stared at her husband's form. One of the numbers above Lucius' body turned from a sickly yellow to a bright orange, his condition was worsening quickly. "I have no way of contacting her."

"Severus reached into his pocket and removed a slip of paper from where he'd tucked it just in case it was needed. "I have. My barrister gave it to me in case I had further need of her."

A quiet tone sounded and those gathered around the couch turned to see another number turn from yellow to orange. Narcissa turned back to Severus saying "Get her. I'll have Draco adjust the wards."

Severus nodded and ran for the floo fireplace, slip of parchment held tightly in his hand. He reached the floo quickly, fell to his knees, threw in the floo powder and yelled "Apareceum Medicus Fidelis " He waited as the fire popped and fizzled before settling into the solid green that meant that he could progress with the floo. He stuck his face in and called "Healer Malfoy!"

A startled voice came from out of sight. "One moment." A minute later Severus saw a pair of bare feet pattering across the floor toward him. They came to a stop in front of the fire and the rest of Lyrae Malfoy appeared as she sank to her knees. "Professor Snape?"

"Healer Malfoy, I need your help." Severus opened his mouth to continue speaking, only to be interrupted.

"What has happened, are the memories not returning correctly?"

"No, Healer Malfoy, it's your brother." Severus paused, gathering his thoughts.

Lyrae sat back on her heels, looking unimpressed. "I believe Lucius has made his wishes clear in regard to my participation in the family."

"Healer Malfoy, I don't know what caused you and your family to part ways, but I can tell you that your brother is at death's door and it looks distressingly like what happened with your father. There are few people that could be trusted with this information, Narcissa herself asked me to contact you, she's having Draco adjust the wards. I am not afraid to admit that this situation is far beyond my abilities."

Lyrae's eyes widened as she took in what Severus was telling her. "Like Abraxas. That fool, I warned him when Father died that he was at risk. One moment." She got up and raced from the room, returning moments later with her healer bag and a house elf following her. "Out of the way, we're coming through."

Severus backed out of the fire and stood up, taking an automatic step back to allow the healer and her elf to step through.

Lyrae stepped into the room gracefully and looked around at the room, obviously looking for her patient. "Where is he?"

"This way," Severus said, leading her swiftly out of the receiving room and into the corridor.

"What exactly happened?" she asked as they moved swiftly toward the library.

"Draco found Lucius on the floor this morning, unresponsive. We've not been able to rouse him at all. I did a basic medical monitoring scan when I arrived while Draco found the cup and bottles that Lucius used last night, all of his systems are out of the range of normal, and some are becoming quite critical. Other than that, I do not have the knowledge to say."

Narcissa peered out the open library door, looking relieved to see Severus returning with the healer. "Thank Merlin, Severus; two more of the areas have turned to orange." She turned to her other guest and nodded to her "Lyrae"

"Narcissa" the healer returned in a noncommittal tone of voice.

Narcissa moved to the side of the door to allow them to enter, her eyes lingering on the blond woman as she strode toward the couch, her elf following closely behind her.

Lyrae surveyed her brother's prone form with an expert eye, ignoring the others in the room. She could hear an unidentified male voice speaking urgently in the background but kept her attention firmly fixed on her patient. "Traxie, please hand me the blue bag," she said as she extended her hand toward the elf.

"Yes mistress," the elf replied as she separated out a small, blue, leather bag and handed it to Lyrae.

The healer extracted a small vial of putrescent green fluid and approached Lucius. "Professor Snape, would you please lift his head for me?"

Severus levered his friend's shoulders and braced them against himself so that Lyrae would have the maximum amount of area possible to work in. He took the opportunity to sniff at the exposed contents of the vial as she poured it down Lucius' throat, noting the acrid scent of epazote. "Epazote?" he queried.

Lyrae absently nodded her head as she surveyed her brother and waved her wand in a few complicated patterns. "It's a chemical binder. He's stable for now, I think we caught it before things got too far, but I'm going to need some more….exotic potions. Narcissa, is Great Grandfather Damon's lab still useable?"

"Yes, Draco has been using it as a practice lab so it should be well stocked," Narcissa said as she turned toward her son.

Draco had retreated to a settee where he could watch the adults work without getting in their and nodded at his mother. "I just restocked the common materials, but if you need more unusual ingredients I may not have them. Mother, who is this?" he asked, gesturing toward Lyrae.

He watched a strange look crossed his mother's face as she turned toward the stranger. "That, Draco, is your Aunt Lyrae Malfoy. Lyrae, your nephew Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Draco stared in surprise at the woman. "Aunt? Why have I never heard of her before?"

Lyrae snorted at her nephew. "You should ask your father about that, nephew, I'm sure he would enjoy telling the story to you."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at her sister in law. "I think you might be surprised at Lucius' response, Lyrae."

Severus shifted, drawing attention to himself. "Is it safe to move him now?"

The healer checked the monitoring spells that Severus had placed and nodded her head. "Yes, he's stable enough to be moved to his bed. Narcissa, I'm going to need to stay and monitor him for the next few days to be sure that he continues to heal. Master Snape?" she said turning toward Severus, who was regaining his feet. He looked at her enquiringly. "Would you be available to make some of the potions that we will be needing? I can make some of the easier potions myself, but the more involved solutions are beyond my capabilities."

"I can be. Is anything needed immediately?"

"Nothing beyond the more common healing and strengthening potions I carry in my bag."

"Then if you will excuse me Narcissa," he said bowing politely to Narcissa, "I will take my leave of you and return to my house to gather some personal items."

"Draco, please escort your godfather to the floo."

Draco nodded and gestured for Severus to precede him through the door. He could hear his mother calling for elves as they left the room.

"Uncle Severus?"

"Draco?"

"Why am I just finding out now that father has a sister?"

Severus hummed to himself for a moment. "I was unaware that he had a sister until recently myself, and have not had the opportunity to ask your father. Anything that I could tell you would be speculation. I would suggest you wait until Lucius is back on his feet."

Draco nodded to himself as they entered the salon and walked toward the fireplace. He handed Severus an elegant silver box.

"Do you have a list of who is allowed unrestricted access?" Severus asked pausing at the edge of the fireplace and grabbing a handful of floo powder.

Draco reached for a scroll set behind an ornamental clock on a side table and held it out toward his godfather. "Here it is."

Severus nodded at it without taking it from his godson. "I would suggest that you and your mother take a careful look at who is able to enter the manor. You may want to temporarily restrict access to only those who truly need to be here."

"I'll speak with mother," Draco said as he pulled his arm back and tapped the rolled scroll on the table next to him. "Thank you for coming, sir."

"You know you can call on me at any time, Draco," Severus said as he tossed the powder into the fire and called "Spinner's End."

Severus exited the fireplace in his grubby house at Spinner's End and looked around at the spare and tattered furnishings with disfavor. He made a mental note to take the time to examine the papers the goblins had given him regarding the property he had inherited. He could always leave a monitoring spell on this house so that he could return if someone tried to contact him. His stomach let out a distressingly loud rumble, reminding Severus that he'd not bothered to stop for a bite before leaving this morning. In fact, now that he thought about it, he hadn't stopped for coffee either. Were he following his usual patterns he would simply ignore his hunger and continue on with his tasks, but Master Healer Malfoy had been quite clear in her instructions, and he did understand the necessity of allowing his body to recuperate.

He turned toward the kitchen area, measured out the precise amount of ground coffee beans and water needed to make the perfect cup of coffee and opened the refrigerator to survey the meager contents. Hmmmm, two eggs and a bit of ham. It was a good thing he'd be guesting at the Malfoys for the next few days; a trip to the local grocery would be unnecessary.

A quick trip to the small cottage garden in the back of the house provided the herbs he needed for a small omelet, and by the time he returned to the kitchen the coffee was done and ready to be poured.

Severus pulled a nutrient potion vial from the small cabinet next to the sink where the glasses were stored and quickly downed half of it before sitting at the table to eat. A quick wave of his wand and the dirty dishes began to clean, dry and reshelf themselves as he savored a second cup of coffee and considered what items he should pack. Clothes for several days and his medicines were a given. His personal stirrers and other equipment were obvious additions, as was a pouch of more exotic ingredients. Oh, and the packet of papers from Gringott's.

A rap on the front door followed by "Severus, are you there?" from his supposed mentor attracted his attention and he tensed briefly before moving to get the door, the mask of imperturbability that he normally wore sliding effortlessly onto his face.

A minute later he was swinging back the door to reveal a genially smiling headmaster. "Headmaster, come in."

"Thank you my boy, I haven't seen you in a few days and wanted to be sure that you were doing well. Voldemort hasn't called you?" the aged man asked as he settled himself in the one decent chair in the sitting room; Severus' father's leather clad easy recliner.

Severus leaned against a bookcase lined wall. "No sir, he's been rather quiet lately. He's been contacting old members and trying to recruit new ones. To that end, he's not needed me to brew any potions." He thought quickly, a possible solution to the problem of monitoring the house at Spinner's End presenting itself to him. "I have, however, been contacted by a private healer regarding the need for some unusual healing potions for an exclusive client. The fee on offer is extremely attractive, and I am thinking that it would be beneficial to take it. I would be quartered on the grounds of the estate itself so that I would be available to brew as needed."

Albus leaned back in his chair, occlumency shields raised to the maximum to prevent any stray thoughts from leaking out and either showing on his face or being detected by the talented man in front of him. "Who is the client?"

"I am not certain, but the information the healer gave me indicated that it is quite likely another of the Dark Lord's followers. If that is so, it may be possible to gain more information from this source. If not, well, perhaps it will be possible to begin forging an advantageous relationship with a possible supporter of the Light." Severus ran a finger over the books on the shelf next to him, attempting to order his thoughts and present a calm and honest façade.

"I see." The aged Headmaster thought for a few seconds, weighing pros and cons in his mind and coming to a conclusion. "Your thoughts are well reasoned. I believe you should take the commission. How long will you be away?"

"I am uncertain as I am not sure as to the nature of the brewing that will be required. The healer in question indicated that healing and strengthening potions will be needed as well as other, more complicated potions."

"Well then, that's settled," Albus said as he rose carefully from the chair. The years were beginning to take their toll, he thought, it was getting more difficult to make his body move. "Do be sure you contact me when you return, or if Voldemort calls you," he said, ignoring Severus' slight flinch at the use of Voldemort's name and walking to the door. As Severus had reasoned, either way this fell it was a potentially good opportunity. He paused as he opened the door and turned back to Severus. "Oh, by the way my boy, Harry Potter has been returned to his relatives, I am thinking that he would benefit having most of the summer there before going to Grimmauld Place."

Severus kept his emotions in check and sneered at Dumbledore. "This concerns me why? I'm sure his relatives are pandering to the pampered prince of Gryffindor, surely I don't need to kneel at that alter as well?"

Dumbledore was pleased to see that the curses he'd placed previously were operating so well, in years past there had been some breakthrough over the summers and he'd been required to increase the strength of them. The spells he'd used over the Winter Holidays were proving to be much stronger. It wouldn't do to show these thoughts to the man, though. Who would have thought that a Slytherin would show such Hufflepuffish concern for the son of his enemies? "Be that as it may Severus, I expect you to treat the boy kindly if you do see him at headquarters."

"Very well, Headmaster," Severus said, holding the door open for the man to pass through and watching as he stepped into the shadowed corner of the front yard and aparated away with a soft 'pop'. If he was lucky that should make his life a bit easier the rest of the summer.

He returned to the house, quickly packed his clothing and professional equipment in his traveling trunk and shrank it so that it was small enough to fit comfortably in his pocket. A look at his pocket watch assured him that he had been in the house for less than an hour, had something happened to Lucius in that short time Draco or Narcissa would have sent for him; he should have the time he needed for his next step.

Severus quickly paged through a book that he'd pulled from the shelf on his way to pack after Albus left. Ah yes, there was the spell. And yes, it did what he thought it did. A few minutes later he stood in front of the fireplace in the front room, wand waving and Latin phrases dropping from his tongue and then repeated the words and movements at the front door, and again at the gate to the property. That should allow him the time he needed to return if the meddlesome head master returned. Or anyone else, for that matter. Time to return to the Manor.

Draco stared at the fireplace in the receiving room. His world had been turned on its side in the space of one morning, and he wasn't sure what to think. First his Father nearly died from some condition he'd not even known was possible, and then he found out he had an Aunt he'd never met before. By far the most disconcerting was seeing his always self-possessed, commanding father lying insensate on the floor. For a short time he'd been afraid that he would never speak to the man who had raised him again. Despite his cold and forbidding social face, at home he was a loving father who took the time to play with Draco when he was young. That man hadn't been much in evidence this summer, in fact, his father had spent little time with him, and had snapped and snarled when asked what he was doing. Something that was most unlike his father.

He shook his head and left the room to go find his mother, access list firmly clutched in his hand. Whatever was going on, it was his duty to ensure the safety of the family while his father was unavailable, a duty he intended to take very seriously.

He mounted the stairs and moved swiftly down the hall to the master bedroom. "Mother? May I come in?" he asked softly as he peeked his head around the corner of the door, which had been left ajar.

"Come in Draco," Narcissa said looking up from where she sat in a chair at her husband's side.

"Uncle Severus had a suggestion," he said as he walked over to her, visually examining his father as he passed by the bed. Father was still pale and still, but he appeared to breathing easily, unlike when Draco had found him this morning.

"He is better, Draco, if Lyrae was concerned she wouldn't have left the room. As it is, both she and her elf are settling in, for now, he is fine. Now what was it that Severus suggested?"

Draco nodded and turned his attention to his mother. "He felt it would be wise to take another look at the access list." He handed it Narcissa, watching as she perused the neatly written list.

"I think he's right. Very well, let me call an elf to watch Father." She caught his look of confusion and smiled softly at her son. "I know, I did say that Lyrae wouldn't have left if he wasn't stable, but I'll feel better if someone is watching him. Buttons."

A small elf dressed neatly in a tea towel emblazoned with a large 'M' popped into the room at Narcissa's feet. "Yes Mistress?"

"Buttons, I need you to watch the Master for me. Come get me immediately if he wakes up of seems to be in pain. Do you understand?"

"Yes Mistress, I is to gets you if Master Lucius needs you."

"Very well," Narcissa said as she walked to the door. "Come, Draco. We should attend to this task before anyone attempts to visit."

"Mother, who are we taking off the list? I looked at it before I brought it upstairs and didn't see anyone who isn't usually welcomed in our house."

Narcissa looked over the list once more as they reached the bottom of the stairs and nibbled her lips delicately as she contemplated the names written neatly in her husband's fine Spenserian script. "Draco, tell me exactly what your Godfather said to you."

"Exactly?"

"Word for word if you can manage it," she said as she walked to the shadowed corner of the receiving room closest to the giant fireplace. She had never had to deal with access to the Manor, but Lucius had told her where the rune stone that controlled access was just in case she ever needed to lock down the house and neither he nor Draco were available. Ah, there it was. She looked up to see her son staring into the distance as he thought. "Draco?"

"Sorry Mother, I was trying to recall exactly what Uncle Severus said. He said we should take a look at the access list, and then suggested that we temporarily restrict access to those who truly need to be here. I've never added or removed people from the list before; do you know how to do that?" 

"Yes, your father taught me when you were little." Narcissa held a quill toward Draco, waiting for him to accept it before continuing. "There are two steps. First you must draw a line through each name that you wish to remove from the list. This list is tied to the rune stone that controls who can use the floo to the manor, so you must be very careful to return it to its hiding place when we are done. If you want to completely remove a person's name from the list you draw a line completely through their name. For a temporary restriction you draw a line through the first letter of the person's first and last names. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes, but how do we choose who to take off?" Draco asked as he looked down the list of fellow death eaters and business acquaintances.

"Severus suggested that we only allow those who truly need to be here. Most of the people on the list are not truly necessary. In fact, I think we'll take off everyone but Severus. We should also add Lyrae so that she can come and go as necessary. Add her name at the bottom of the list and she will be allowed access."

Draco nodded and leaned against a handy bookcase as he worked on the scroll. "What next?"

"Next," Narcissa said moving away from the corner, "you need to place a few drops of your blood on the stone and identify yourself by your full name, place the list on top of the stone, and order the changes."

Draco pulled a small pen knife from his robe pocket and stabbed his finger, leaning over to allow a few drops of the blood that welled up to fall on to the stone. He placed the list on top of the bloody stone saying "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy order the listed changes in access to Malfoy Manor."

A muted blue light flashed under the list for a few seconds and then subsided, leaving the list on top of it, oddly unstained by the blood.

"Did it work?"

"Yes, the blood has been absorbed into the rock along with the changes. I'm going to return to your Father."

Draco nodded respectively to her as she left and then wandered aimlessly over to one of the large windows overlooking the front lawn. He stared out absently, thoughts going around and around but not really coming to any conclusions. A glance at the clock on the end table he'd recently hidden the scroll behind told him that he'd been standing there for at least a half hour. He headed for the door thinking that he might as well get some homework done while he waited for his father to wake up.

Severus flooed into the manor with little difficulty. "Service."

A house elf popped in to the room. "I is hearing sir, what is sir needing?"

"I need to know where to put my things, and then I need to speak to Lyrae Malfoy."

"Sir must be following Cinders," the elf said as it led Severus into the main part of the house and up the grand staircase to the family quarters. "This is being sir's room. Mistress is wanting sir close to the master. Master is being in that room," it said, pointing toward a double door rich with inlaid wood in geometric patterns on the opposite side of the hall from Severus' room. "Miss Lyrae is being in the room with Master. Is sir wishing Cinders to unpack?"

Severus pulled the trunk from his pocket, placed it on the floor under a window and enlarged it with a tap of his wand. Another quick tap and the trunk unlocked. Severus lifted the lid and removed his brewing equipment, which had been resting on top of his clothes and personal items. "You may put the rest away, do not touch any of these items, they are very delicate," he said as he put the bags and boxes of equipment and supplies on an empty desk top. He would deal with them later, he should see if Lyrae needed anything specific to help with Lucius before going to the potions lab on the top floor.

A quick trip down the hall brought him to the Master bedroom where he rapped sharply on the door. A house elf opened the door and glared up at him. "Is you needing something?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. This elf carried itself with an air of authority that was unusual in the Malfoy elves. "I need to see if Healer Malfoy needs anything."

"Come in Severus," he heard Narcissa say from her place by Lucius' bed. "Noni, let Potion Master Snape in, you know he is a friend of the family."

Noni stared at Severus in a forbidding manner and ordered "You is not to be tiring Master Lucius out."

"Is he awake then?" Severus asked as he entered the room.

Lyrae turned from where she was leaning over her brother, wand in hand. "He's getting close. He's starting to get restless and my scans show that his consciousness is returning."

"Have you a need for any potions?" Severus asked softly as he came to the end of the bed and watched his friend move agitatedly.

Lyrae shook her head. "Not yet. I need to see how he is after he wakes up, but later I will need you to start brewing some specific purgatives and some fortifying potions. They're better given after the patient wakes so they can participate in the purging. I need to see how much damage has been done to the internal organs before I can tell you which restoratives will be needed. I am confident that any damage is fixable, Narcissa," she said as Narcissa leaned forward in concern, "but some temporary impairment is inevitable given his condition when I arrived. Count yourself lucky, had you waited much longer it is likely some of the damage would have been permanent."

The healer waived her wand in an intricate pattern over Lucius' head as he moved agitatedly in the bed. "He's almost there. Should you call Draco?"

"Noni, fetch Master Draco." Narcissa kept her eyes on her husband as she gave orders to the elf that had answered the door for Severus.

The little elf popped out briefly and then returned seconds later. A pounding in the hallway told them that the message had been delivered.

"Mother," Draco panted as he threw himself in the room. "Noni said that you needed me, is Father worse?"

Narcissa turned to glare at the small creature who was staring at her master from a perch on a window sill. "No, son, the Healer feels that he is about to wake up. Noni," she called out. The elf reluctantly dragged her eyes from her master's form. "Get Master Draco a chair."

The elf snapped her fingers and a wooden chair with a comfortable padded seat appeared next to Narcissa's. She patted the seat saying "Come sit next to me Draco."

Draco seated himself and looked at his father twisting and turning under the sheets. "Is he supposed to do that? He's not in pain, is he?"

Lyrae shook her head as she watched Lucius with a keen and experienced eye. "No, this agitation is the last step; he's fighting his way back to consciousness. There's nothing that a healer can do to ease the transition. Ahhh."

As she finished speaking, Lucius' eyes opened. He blinked as he looked around, whispering "Cissa?"

"I am here, beloved, how do you feel?" she asked as she sat on the side of the bed and took his hand.

Lucius tried to focus on her, but saw a blur. He blinked a few more times and found his sight clearing enough to make out his wife's beautiful face. "Like I've been dragged through the hedgerow a fair few times."

"Father?" Draco leaned over his mother's shoulder, peering hopefully at his father's face. 

"Draco," he said, giving a small nod of acknowledgement and turned his eyes back to Narcissa. "What happened? Have I been ill?"

"No, you great gawping idiot, you almost followed Father," Lyrae said from the other side of the bed where she stood frowning at numbers that were floating in the air.

Lucius' head whipped around toward his sister's voice, causing him to close his eyes as the room spun. "Lyrae? What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

"I was called here this morning when your son found you unconscious on the floor. For Merlin's sake, Lucius, were you thinking at all? Do you not remember what I told you after Father died? At least we know for sure, you absolutely cannot mix magical drugs and alcohol, you nearly died last night. What in the name of Hecate were you thinking?" Lyrae demanded as she frowned down at Lucius, the rest of the room not noticing that Noni was nodding along with her assessment.

"I don't remember," Lucius said, frowning. "I remember meeting with the Dark Lord, coming home and sitting in the library, and drinking some Absinth, and then that's all I remember."

"Father, what happened at the meeting?" Draco asked, wondering what the Dark Lord could have said that would have set his father on such a disastrous course.

"Never mind that right now, we need to get those potions out of Lucius' system as soon as possible. The binding solution should hold, but it's best to get the substances out quickly. Master Snape, I will need these three potions as soon as possible. Lucius, this is not going to be a pleasant process. You are going to wish you were dead by the time all of the drugs and alcohol are purged from you…maybe that will drive the seriousness of the situation through your thick head," Lyrae grumbled as she handed Severus a list of three potions.

Severus read them quickly and thought of the supplies he'd brought. Luckily he'd tucked in some of the Jalapa he'd just received from his apothecary. "Draco, do you have any rhubarb in the garden?"

"Yes Uncle Severus."

"Good. I will need your assistance brewing."

"Yes sir," Draco said, turning toward his parents and nodding respectfully. "I'll return soon Father."

Lucius closed his eyes and grimaced as a sharp pain shot through his stomach. "Severus."

"Yes?"

"He's mad."

Both of Severus' eyebrows shot to the top of his forehead. Was his friend indicating that he thought the Dark Lord was mad? Not that Severus had any doubt in the matter, but it was a surprise that Lucius apparently agreed. "I beg your pardon?"

Lucius opened his eyes to gaze at his friend, who had returned to the bottom of the bed when he spoke. "Draco, go set up the lab for your godfather."

Draco nodded and left without uttering a word. It had been a shattering morning for the young man; many of the things that had been constants in his young life had changed. Some time to work quietly and think would be welcome.

Severus watched as his godson left, noting the lost expression on his face. He expected a barrage of questions this afternoon while they worked in the lab.

"Lucius, what are you saying?" Narcissa whispered, looking at her husband in concern.

Lucius closed his eyes and began to speak. He couldn't bear to watch his wife's expression as he delivered the news his Lord had given him last night. "Cissa, Severus, the Dark Lord called me last night because he has a mission and a request for me. He wants me to arrange for an interception of a shipment of ministry gold from the ministry building to Gringott's. Yes, I know, that is unwise, our Lord insists that he needs more gold" he said as Narcissa made an inarticulate noise from next to him. Lucius grabbed his wife's hand and held it tightly, opening his eyes to stare at his friend. "Severus, he wants me to bring Draco to be marked before the end of the summer. He intends that Draco will bring down the wards of Hogwarts from the inside allowing us to enter and kill Dumbledore and Potter. Draco is not strong enough magically or mentally for a task such as this, he's not ready to be marked, you know that as well as I do. He's sentencing my son to death for no reason that I can see, and I won't have it!" Lucius shouted, raising himself up to glare at Severus, ignoring the startled cry from Narcissa.

Seconds later his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed among the pillows, unconscious once again.

Lyrae waved her wand and glared down at her brother. "Idiot. He's just overextended himself, Narcissa; he hasn't done any extra damage. He should be awake by the time Master Snape has completed the initial purgatives and then the fun will really begin."

Severus swept from the room, leaving Narcissa to watch over her husband along with the odd elf and the healer. This was an interesting development.


End file.
